You may (or may not!) notice slight changes in my videos in the week ahead. I’ve started editing them in Final Cut Pro (moving from iMovie), which gives me a lot more flexibility, but also has a bit of a learning curve as I figure out how on earth to do things that had become second nature to me in iMovie.
Perhaps that extra cognitive load is why I’ve had a very easy reading week, focusing on a series of quick, enjoyable, undemanding reads. It’s been fun! The ‘Sweet Valley High’ books noted below were read as a buddy read with MJ from the excellent YouTube channel ‘Reading this Life’ – I recommend taking a look at her content if you’re not already a fan – HERE
Many of these books were read as old (in one case very old) mass market paperbacks, my absolute favourite form of book. The problem with them is, though, that it can be difficult to source decent cover images for things like this, so apologies for the pics below.
This was also the week where, after 17 years as a user, I quit Twitter. Someone in the YouTube comments suggested I was getting a bit political, my response was that it was Twitter that was getting a bit political. You can now find me on Bluesky, which seems an altogether nicer place than the hellscape Musk has created.
Hope you’ve had similarly entertaining bookish weeks,
Cheerio!
Books I’ve Read This Week
The Galactic Riddle by Clark Darlton
Perry Rhodan is a hugely successful German sci fi series that has been running since the 1960s. Published in a magazine style format there are now over 3000 instalments. In the 1970s a few of the books were translated into English and published in both the UK and the US. I remember seeing them in bookshops as a kid and being fascinated by them.
Fast forward 40 years and I’ve finally read one. Book 8 (in the English translation at least, I’m not sure if the original German numbering is the same) was a fun, silly space opera. Perry Rhodan is the captain of a team, mostly made of people with various telepathic ability, roaming the galaxy Star Trek style and investigating weird science stuff. In this one it’s a missing planet. There’s loads of implausible explanations for things, ray guns and a positronic brain. Great, pulpy stuff. I will be reading more.
The Sailcloth Shroud by Charles Williams
A very entertaining, fast-paced nautical mystery from the 1960s. The plot is particularly twisty and fun, involving two deaths amongst the three man crew of a small boat that’s just sailed into port. The trials the surviving crew member goes through as he tries to work out exactly what has happened and save himself from current perils are endlessly engaging.
Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener by MC Beaton
My favourite Agatha Raisin mystery yet, with a gardening competition in the village that brings out the best/worst (delete as applicable) in Agatha. Of course there’s a murder and the ensuing investigation is particularly enjoyable. There’s also the continuation of the ongoing romantic sub-plot which is almost as much fun.
Charmed: Haunted by Desire by Cameron Dokey
Not as enjoyable as the other ‘Charmed’ novelisation I’ve read (which adapts the first episode), but this was still an entertaining quick read. Two of the sister fall for the same guy (naturally he’s a wrong ‘un) whilst the third investigates a historic murder at a university which has left some ghosts behind. All very silly, but diverting enough.
Sweet Valley High 104: Love and Death in London by Kate William
I was delighted by just how much fun this, my first Sweet Valley High, book was. A dizzy mix of crime, horror and romance, all told with breathless energy. This first entry in the ‘Horror in London’ trilogy, sees the Californian twins travel to the UK to work as interns in a newspaper. Immediately there’s a murder, as well as an almost overwhelming number of references to ‘An American Werewolf in London’, a missing princess and lots and lots of boys.
No one element ever overwhelms the others. The horror is silly, the mystery obvious and the romance never more than fleeting, but the balance between the three is delicious. It’s all ridiculous, but the cliched characters and plot twists are so much fun it’s impossible to dislike it.
And OMG is the cliffhanger ending shocking!
Sweet Valley High 105: A Date with a Werewolf by Kate William
Book two in the Horror in London trilogy definitely feels like a middle book. The plot progression slows down quite a lot, with the twins investigating the central murders but not really making much progress until near the end. We also get the advancing of Jessica’s romantic storyline and a lot of boy related angst for Elizabeth. A lot of the narrative grunt work goes into wrapping up (quite satisfyingly it must be said) the sub plots that were introduced in book one for the supporting characters. Hopefully this clears the deck for a more horror/mystery focussed finale.
Also worth noting is the way the author goes out of her way to correct errors in the first book in this one (“cookies, or no sorry I mean biscuits of course lol”). It’s weird but kind of amusing.
Sweet Valley High 106: Beware the Wolfman by Kate William
The final book in the ‘Horror in London’ trilogy is an absolute barnstormer. Family intrigue, murder, revenge, romance. It has it all! There’s also a defly handled dual investigation which really ramps up the tension in the second half. Yes, the denouement is obvious, but getting there is a huge amount of fun.
CriminOlly 
As a funky B grade book blogger, I’m sorry you chose to bring in politics. I enjoyed your reviews and they have enticed me to read out of my comfort zone. But now I’m leaving because you have decided that Trump and conservative leaning individuals are not worthy. I wish UK best of luck.
Where did I say that? The government of America is up to America, I just said I didn’t like Twitter anymore